Water-controlled gas-distributing valve.



"E, J. RADKE.

WATER CONTROLLED GAS DISTRIBUTING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILBL NOV. G, .1.911,

Patented. Feb. 10, 19M.

50 J7 f5 Q5 T. J, RADKE.

WATER GONTROLLED GAS DISTRIBUTING VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED HOV. 6, X911.

5Fl Patented Feb. 1U, 81@

2 SHHMTVSHBET' 2,

nates a hollow casting at the gas side of the device in which is formeda header 31 provided with a gas outlet nipple 31 .for connection to the pipe 19. Sald header 31 is common to and communicates, through valve controlled passaffes, with valve chambers 82, 33 that are provided with nipples 34, 35 which connect to the gas service pipes 14 and 15, respectively. At the Water side of the distributing valve lis arranged a hollow casting 38, generally similar to the casting 30, in which is formed a header 39 having a screw-threaded hot Water inlet nipple 40 for connection to the hot Water pipe 23. The header 39 isl common to and communicates through the cylindrical passages 42, 43 with valve chambers 44, 45provided with nipples 46, 47 for connection to the hot water distributing pipes 24 and 25. The casting 30 and 38 are connected by the frame members 50 which are connected at the median line of chambers 32, 83 to the header 31 is herein shown as controlled by conical disk valves 55 which engage conical body seats 56, 56 surrounding the passage connecting the valve 'chambers with the header 31. The said disk valves 55 are mounted on endwise reciprocating stems 57, 57 arranged axially in thervalve chambers and have guiding engagement at the outer ends in guide sockets 58 in the outer Wall of the header 31. The inner ends of said stems extend through and gnidingly engageplugs 60 screw-threaded in the inner ends of said lvalve chambers and constitute the inner Walls thereof. Familiar forms of stutdng box members 61, I61 surrounding theI stems and screw-threaded to eX- tensions of thepliigs 60 provide gas joints about said stems.

The passage of the Water from the header 89 on thewater side of the valve device is controlled bythe disks 63, 63 which are fixed to endwise reciprocating stems 64, 64 arranged axially in alinement With the stems 57, 57 and have guiding arrangement at their outer ends in sockets 65 formed in the outer ivall of the header 39. The stems 64 extend through and guidingly engage plugs 6 6, 66 which have screw-threaded engagement with the inner ends of the Water valve chambers 44, 45 and constitute the inner end walls of said chambers. Stuffing boxes 67. 67 are arranged on the extended parts of the plugs (i6 around said stems to form Water tight joints between the Wall and the stems.

tight Losses? The valve disks 55 are mounted to slide loosely on the stems 57 and are confined on said stems between inner and outer spiral springs 70, 71, the inner spring 7 O being interposed between said disks and collars 72.,

to the stems 57, The outer springs are interposed between the disk valves and the outer Wall of the header casting 30, the outer socket nipples 58, 58. are made weaker than the inner springs 70 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The stems 57 and 64 of the opposing water and gas valve bear at their inner ends against the outer ends ol a lever 7 5 'vvhich is centrally pivoted to a pin 7 6 that is mounted in and extends between thaffmembers of a yoke 77 arranged transverselgfjvacross the device between the pair of valves. As herein shown said yoke is made of cast metal and is'connected to the frame members 5G by means of plates 78 attached to or cast in the yoke 77 and clamped at their outer ends between said frame members 50.

The operation of the. device described is 'as follows: lVhen no water is being drawn from the heater the lever occupies its mid-position and both the disks 63 on the water side of the valve occupy the cylindrical passages 43 which connect the water header 39 with the Water valve chambers. The disk valves 55 are held closely adjacent to, but pot in actual contact with, conical body seats 56 so that at this time a small volume of gas may pass from both the consumers service pipes 14 and 15 through th valve device and the pipe 19 to supply the pilot burner of the heater. lf water be draivn from one of the pipes 24 or the pressure will be reduced on the inner side ofc the valve disk 63 associated )vith thc chan. ber with which lthe open pipe`24, 25 is connected, so that the superior pressure of water in the header 39 forces the said inwardly to permit the Water to "flow past the same into the open draw-oil' pipe. llhen said disk is thus forced inwardly its stern acts, through the lever 75, to force the ally opposed gas disk valve tightly against its scat,` as shown in the lower side of F 2, so as to thereby close the valve chamber the lever 75. on its axis, caused by the axial movement of the stem G4, has the effect to force the other Water controlled disk 63 outwardly, as clearly shown inFig. 2, and permits the axially opposed .valve disk 55 to be moved aivay from its seat 56 under the acright hand side ot' Fig. 2. It Will be understood that when the valves are 1n their normal or balanced positions and no water is lplaced under considerable pressure, While ends of said springs 7l surrounding `the f Said outer springs 71 disk L tion of the .spring 71.,.as shown in the upper which latter are pinned or otherwise fixed to the header 3l. The pivotal movement of flowing' from the heater, the springs 71 arc .lili

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ineens? the springs Yrnay placed under'slight pressure. The forcepf the springsfl there tore opens the gas valves when the latter are free to open. 'flhexsaide rings i0 are provided, in connection Wit 'the valve `dislrs which are slidingly fitted on their s'tems,`in order to insure .that the disks shall be' firmly seated Without necessitating great aen curacy of movement of the parts, 'for slicaild. either of the disk valves reach its seat before the Yfull movement of the 'parts'liave been accomplished, its associated spring will permit such additional movement of its stein as may be required to complete the full movement of the parts.

It ivill be seen ,from the foregoing that the uiter andgas valves which are operative at a time when water is boing drawn through one of the water draw-ott pipes are located at diagonally opposed corners of the device, as best shovvn in Fig. 2; the upper gas valve being open and the lower Water valve being open. lVhen the Water dra\voti` pipe is closed the pressure on the opposite sides of the disk 63 past which the Water is iiowing is equalized and the spring 7l associated with the closed gas valve will operate through the lever to restore the gas valves to their normal positions and also to close the previously opened Water valve. The operati'on of the other two diagonally dis# posed water and gas valvesiis, of course, the same as the pair of valvesliust described.

It will be noted that botjh the consumers service pipes may be connected through the partially closed gas valve to vcontribute 'equally to the pilot burner; and that when,v

water is being drawn from either of the pipes, the gas valve associated with that dra-woll pipe will be opened and the other `{ras yalve will be closed. Thus the supply of to heat the Water to be drawn oil will pass Wholly through the meteixof the consumer whose draw-oil" pipe is open.

The 'torni ot device shown in 1 and 2 adapted to a heater supplyingr two consumers, although a device embodying the saine general Atentures of construction and operation may be arranged .to control 'the gas supply 'for a plurality of heaters.

ln Fig. 3 I haveshown a inodilication which is adaptable for connection With anynurnber of consumers service pipes and an equal number of draw-oil pipes. In said construction the gas and Water headers 85, 8G the gais and Water valve chambers- 87, 88 and the disl valves ,89, 90, respectively, are arranged in the sanne general manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with each gas valve chamber arranged axially in line with a Water valve chamber. The outlet 9i vfor the ,gas header and the inlet 92 for the Water header open at the ends oiisaid headers. ln the latter construction the adjacent endsv valves are closed.

of axially alined stems 9i, 95 of the Water wir and gasvalves hear directly against each other, Without the interposition of a lover," or like motion transmitting device, as shown in Figs. l and 2, so that when either one of the ivater valves is open, its stem acts direct-ly against the stern of an axially opposed gas valve to open the saine, the other Ivalves at this time reniainingclosed. 'ihe gas valves are closed by the springs 97 when the Water pressure transmitted through the associated water valve is leased, the spring' 97 acting at the same time to close both the and Water valves. *inA the construction shown in the said lfig. il the gas `valves are normally tipglu'zly closed so that no is permitted to pass through the valve device tol constantly supply a small volume of gas to the pilot burner. in a system which employs the device shown in Fie. 3, therefore, the supply for the pilot burner may be taken i'roiri the consumers servico pipes in any suitable or approved manner.

i It' will be noted that in both the construc-v tions the inulti-valved construction, coni-- prising the coacting Water and valves, is a single unit, which is connected to the singie burner of the heater and .to the hot wie ter end of the heater, cach by a single' economy andfsiinplicity of the device, and bring's the enacting' gas and Water valves in an exceedingly practical relation Afor in stallat-ion and operation.

l claim as my inventiong y 1. A gas distributing valve device' for supplyinggas to the burner ol a Water heater which serves a plurality of consumers, comprising a plurality ot' gasjvalves, equal iny number to that ot' the consumers served by the heater. unequal number of Water valves appropriated oneto each conand hot Water pipe, respectively. This ar rangement contributes to the con1pactness,

seiner, operative connections hetvveen said.

gas and Water valves construet'eupcn the opening oif one oit the Water valves to open a valve approniated to tlieiconsuiner served by the open 'Water valve and to per mit the other `ras valves to close, andV .means whereby all oi" the gas valves are maintained partially open when all the Water 2. i Water controlled gas distributing;

valve tor the purpose set forth, comprising` a frame provided at opposite sides with Water and headers, provided, respectively with inlet and exit passages, and with water a'nd gas valve cliarnhi'u's separately com- .municatingl with the headers through passages, valves in. said passages, arranged With each Water valve axially opposite to a gas valve, operative connections between the Water and the valves operative upon the opening' of each water valve to open the operatively connected gas valve and to per-` mit the other @as valve to close, and means q, i l 1,086,557

whereby the gas valves are slightly open l movable into and out from cylindric pasn when all the Water valves are closed.

3. A. Water controlled gas distributing valve for the purpose set forth, vcomprising a 'frame provided at its opposite sides With axially alined Water and gas valve chainbers, and with Water and gas headers provided, respectively, with inletand exit openings, and communicating through passages Vith the Water and valve chambers, valves' to control said passages provided with valve stems arranged in axially alined pairs, and a lever pivoted to the frame with its ends between the axially alined stems oi: the valves.

#1. A water controlled gas distributing valve for the purpose set forth, eornprising a'franie provided at opposing sides with iva-ter and gas headers and with -vater and gas valve chambers communicating with the headers through passages, valves in said passages, arranged with each gas valve axially opposite a Water valve, operative connections, between the water and gas valves which operate upon. the opening of each ivater valve to openI the operatively connected gas valve and to'perinit the clos- -ing of the other gas valve, the gas valves being movable on their stems, and each gas valve being held between tivo springs, one interposed between the .valve and said frame and the other interposed between the valve and a shoulder on its stern.

5.' A Water controlled gas distributing vvalve for the purpose set forth, comprising a frame providedat opposing sides with Water and gas headers and With water andgas valve chambers, Communicating with the headers through passages, valves in said lpassages arranged with each ivater 'alve axially opposite a gas valve, operative connections between the Water and the gas valves lto oyen each gas valve upon the opening of its associated ivatervalve, and to perinit the other gas valves to close, the passages connecting the water valve chambers ,andthe Water header being inadc eylindric,

:and the Water val\ es being cylindrie and sages.

6 The eornbination with the-burner oi a water heater, a plurality of consumers" gas vpipes forfurnishing gas to the burner and a plurality of draw-olf pipes connected 'to the heater, of a gas distributing valve device between the service pipes 'and the burner, controlled by the Withdrawal of ivater freni said draw-oil' pipes, rneans to open each consurners service pipe to the burner that is associated with the open draw-oli pipe, While closing the service pipe ot' the other consumer, and means 'whereby the gas valves remain slightly open to furnish gas to a pilot burner when all the water valves are closed.

7. The combination with a water heater and its single burner, of a Water controlled gas valve device comprising a traine or support holloived at one side to provide a gas header and a plurality of inlet chambers severally connected to the header by ports, said gas header having a single outlet, the ranie being hollovved on the other side to provide a hot water header and plurality oi' Water outlet chambers severally Connected to the Water header by ports, said header having a single inlet opening, valves con trolling the iiovv of gas troni said inlet Chambers to said header, other valves controlling the flow of Water from said hot ivater header to said hot Water outlet chambers, operative connections, between each water valve and a companion gas valve to open the latter upon the opening of the Water valve, a single pipe connecting the gas header out- 'let to said burner and a single pipe connecting said heater to the said hot Water header inlet.

, In testimony, that l claim the foregoing as iny invention l adi); Iny signature in the presence oi tivo Witnesses, this 28th day of October, )1. D. 1911,

' THEODORE J. BADER.

ll'vitnesses:

lll. L. HALL, Cr. E. DowLn. 

